Date:16/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/16/stories/2006111609510300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Council polls: CPI, TDP allege lapses

Staff Reporter

Collector assures sharp scrutiny

Graduates' draft rolls for 3 districts to be ready on Nov.22

Each booth to have up to 1000 voters

ANANTAPUR: Communist Party of India (CPI) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Tuesday alleged that large-scale irregularities had taken place in applications for enrolment of graduate voters for the Legislative Council elections.

In an all-party meeting conducted here by Returning Officer and District Collector D. Kadmiel for Graduates and Teachers constituencies' election in Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa district, the CPI and TDP representatives alleged that bulk applications were submitted by the corporate educational institutions on October 22, the last date for applications.

Probe demanded

K.Ramakrishna and M.V. Ramana of CPI and S. Suryanarayana of TDP demanded a probe into the acceptance of bulk applications and action against the officials concerned. The RO assured that each application would be scrutinised with utmost care before enrolling

They complained that of 22,000 applications were filed on the last day in Anantapur district and 5,000 in Anantapur town.

It was humanly impossible for few officers to receive so many applications in a single day .

The RO and Collector stated that the draft rolls of graduates of three districts would be published on November 22 and claims and objections would be received from November 22 to December 7.

Disposal of claims and objections would be completed by December 27 and final list would be published on December 29.

Separate polling stations would be held for graduate, teacher and local bodies' voters in all mandal headquarters.